U2 have unveiled a new six-track EP, Days Of Ash, a politically focused release inspired by recent global events. The project, released on Ash Wednesday, features five new songs along with a reading of the poem “Wildpeace” by Israeli poet Yehuda Amichai.
Frontman Bono described the EP as separate in tone from the band’s forthcoming full-length album, which is slated for later in 2026. “These EP tracks couldn’t wait,” Bono said in a statement reported by JamBase. “They are songs of defiance and dismay, of lamentation. Songs of celebration will follow.”
Four of the five original songs directly address real individuals and recent tragedies. “American Obituary” was written after the killing of Renée Nicole Macklin Good in Minneapolis. “Song of the Future” honors 16-year-old Iranian protester Sarina Esmailzadeh. “One Life At A Time” was written for Palestinian nonviolent activist Awdah Hathaleen, who was killed in the West Bank.
“Yours Eternally” features Ukrainian musician and soldier Taras Topolia and includes a guest appearance by Ed Sheeran. The song addresses Ukraine’s ongoing war following Russia’s 2022 invasion. A companion mini-documentary directed by Ukrainian filmmaker Ilya Mikhaylus is set for release on February 24, marking the fourth anniversary of the invasion.
The EP also includes “The Tears Of Things,” named after the book by Franciscan friar Richard Rohr. “Wildpeace” pairs music by U2 and producer Jacknife Lee with a reading of Amichai’s poem performed by Nigerian artist Adeola of Les Amazones d’Afrique.
Guitarist The Edge emphasized the band’s stance in a statement accompanying the release. “We believe in a world where borders are not erased by force. Where culture, language, and memory are not silenced by fear.”
Alongside the EP, U2 issued a limited-edition digital zine titled U2 – Days Of Ash: Six Postcards From The Present… Wish We Weren’t Here, featuring interviews, lyrics, and liner notes.
While Days Of Ash stands as a distinct statement, Bono confirmed the band has been working in the studio on a new full-length album expected later this year. For now, the EP functions as an urgent dispatch from a band long known for threading politics into arena-scale rock.
